On-board H2 generation by catalytic dehydrogenation of hydrocarbon mixtures or fuels

The partial dehydrogenation (PDh) of hydrocarbon blends may be a suitable way to produce H2 on-board of automotives or airplanes to feed fuel cells and produce electric power, avoiding storage problems. In this work very interesting data have been collected using Jet A-1 surrogate and Pt–Sn/γ-Al2O3 catalysts, operating at 450 °C and feeding the vaporised hydrocarbon blend without any carrier gas. The use of Pt/Sn catalyst with 1:1 (w/w) ratio leads to the best compromise between activity and stability with time-on-stream, due to the formation of Pt-rich alloys. Nevertheless, all studied catalysts exhibited limited thio-tolerance. In optimized reaction conditions, H2 productivity of 3000 NL/kgcat/h, sufficient to produce 3 kW of electric power, considering purification steps and a fuel efficiency of 50%, was obtained.

Graphical abstractThe partial (PHD) dehydrogenation of hydrocarbon blends may be a suitable way to produce H2 on-board. In optimized reaction conditions, H2 productivity of 3000 NL/kgcat/h, sufficient to produce 3 kW of electric power, considering purification steps and a fuel efficiency of 50%, was obtained.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (305 K)Download as PowerPoint slideHighlights► Very encouraging H2 productivities were obtained in the partial dehydrogenation (PDh) of kerosene surrogate. ► Pt–Sn/alumina catalyst with ratio 1:1 (w/w) leads to the best compromise between activity and stability with time-on-stream. ► The presence of Sn tailors the reactivity of Pt by the formation of different Pt–Sn alloys, increasing the activity and reducing the undesired side reactions. ► Best catalyst shows a H2 productivity of about 3000 NL/kgcat/h, which is encouraging for real applications on automotive or aviation transports.